DIARRHOEA KILLS 6 KIDS

MANZINI – In the wake of the economic difficulties which led to a health crisis, the country is facing yet another major setback.Reports are to the effect that children below the age of five are currently at risk in the country as there is an outbreak of diarrhoea, mainly in the Shiselweni and Hhohho Regions.

According to sources within the health sector, nurses started recording cases of diarrhoea in the Shiselweni Region early last week. They said so far, the most affected area was Nhlangano, where a total of six children under the age of five died from the disease from last Wednesday at the Nhlangano Health Centre, while 13 were admitted to the same facility.

“A number of children under the same age group were treated and discharged at the health facility because the wards were already full,” the sources said.Furthermore, the impeccable sources revealed that recently, medical practitioners at the Mbabane Government Hospital noted an increase in the number of children with diarrhoea. However, they said no statistics were released so far.

Dr Simon Zwane, the Principal Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Health, confirmed the outbreak of the deadly, but preventable disease. He said the outbreak of such diseases was common during this time of the year.He said it was during this time of the year when the country started to receive rains with floods, like it happened last week, where chances of the outbreak of such diseases became high.

However, the PS said this outbreak came at a time when the country was on high alert as there was an eruption of cholera in some countries in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries.“It should be clarified that this diarrhoea is not the one caused by cholera but it’s the one which can be prevented,” the PS said.He warned the nation to wash their hands with clean water and soap before touching food and after visiting the toilet.